Normally Muslims break their fast with dates, samosas, donuts and other cookies and light meals, but it looks like the menu slightly changed on Monday night with a series of over a dozen grenade attacks and mortar bomb shells “distributed” by suspected Al-Shabaab adherents who themselves ought to have been breaking their fast at that moment when the call of prayer was made.
“We broke our fast today with grenades and mortar bombs thanks to Al-Shabaab kindness!” quipped one Mogadishu resident who only gave his name as Abdi for fear of reprisals.
“As soon as the call of maghrib prayers was made and we were preparing to break the fast all hell broke loose as Al-Shabaab decided to distribute their grenades and mortar shells across Mogadishu. I think in total there were over 15 explosions all together. These lads (Al-Shabaab) should know that not everyone literally eats grenades like them. I just hope they can leave us alone!” he sarcastically said with a broad grin.
The Somali capital Mogadishu has been enjoying its best peaceful spell since the ouster of the Al-Shabaab militants in August 6, 2011 by a combined Somalia and African Union peacekeepers forces from Burundi and Uganda until very recently.
In the past few months, Mogadishu has witnessed some sporadic attacks, grueling Iraqi-style suicide bombings and some daring commando-like assaults by Al-Shabaab militants like the June 19 United Nations common compound attacks and the April 14 Mogadishu courthouse attack.
Al-Shabaab attacks seems to have spiraled in the Holy month of Ramadan and specifically after their elusive commander Abdi Godane alias Abuu Zubeyr issued a rallying Jihad call to his adherents to increase their attacks during this holy month of Ramadan.
Hell no, I don’t think I can take grenades for iftar, would you?
